About this blog

Comings and Goings is a blog written by Theology, Worship and Education Director Charles B. "Chip" Hardwick as he travels throughout the church. God is on the move out and about in the world, working to redeem all things in Jesus Christ. As we join this mission, by the power of the Spirit we see God on the move. This blog contains glimpses of how Chip finds this to be true in his comings and goings.

You can follow Chip on twitter (@chiphardwick) or find him on Facebook (Chip Hardwick).

Posts with tag: seminaries

This past weekend I was in Southern California for two events. The first was to spend a day getting to know Fuller Theological Seminary and its ministries to Presbyterian Students. (Although Fuller itself is not Presbyterian, many, many candidates for ordination in the PC(USA) graduate from its programs.) In my next post, I will talk about the second reason for my visit, the Southern California gathering of the Fellowship of Presbyterians.

On Monday and Tuesday I was in Nashville spending time with members of the Company of New Pastors, which is a program coordinated by Theology and Worship (one of the ministries of the PC(USA) with whom I work closely). This program helps seminaries transition into ministry by encouraging spiritual disciplines (like reading the Bible and praying) and small groups. These disciplines and groups begin in students’ last year of seminary, and then after graduation continue on for about four more years, with the same disciplines and newly configured groups.

Pleasant Ridge is a strong supporter of the Theological Education Fund, which distributes money among ten Presbyterian seminaries to support their preparation of men and women for various types of ministry. In my sermon, I thanked the congregation and then asked them what they are actually building when they donate money for this cause.

In a recent blog post I wish that I had made more explicit my friend and colleague Rev. Sarah Sarchet Butter’s contributions to a conversation with faculty and staff from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and to the topic of expanding leadership training beyond seminaries through the non-profit management departments of business schools.

Earlier this month I was in Chicago and met with a representative from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, an institution of the United Methodist Church, two coordinators for executive non-profit education from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, at the invitation of my long-time friend and colleague, Rev. Sarah Sarchet Butter.

I was in Dumaguete City, the Philippines a couple of weeks ago for a consultation on theological education in Asia. There were about twenty representatives from South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States. Most who were there were professors, but some denominational staff members, a bishop, and some mission co-workers were also present. The event was very well-coordinated by the World Mission Office for Asia.